1. Ed Kelly and the Fighting 47th
An investigative documentary that focuses on political activities in the 47th Ward of Chicago and on the relationship between party politics and the park district. Originally aired on local Chicago news station WBBM-TV in 1979, the documentary details machine politics, patronage, clientelism and bribery that ran rife in Chicago's 47th Ward under the helm of Democratic Party Committeeman Ed Kelly. The digitization of this program was made possible by a grant from The Brinson Foundation.
2. Jim Brown's Amer-I-Can Dream
NFL legend Jim Brown forges an unlikely coalition with former convicts and gang members in an effort to halt the alarming epidemic of deadly youth violence on America's streets.
3. 17 Seconds
“17 Seconds” provides an all-access pass inside the Blackhawks locker room party in Boston and the airplane ride home with the Cup following Game 6, in addition to insight from the players on the Stanley Cup-winning team and members of the organization. Fans can ride along on the players’ buses during the championship parade and follow the Blackhawks as they spend their Cup days with family and friends, sharing the greatest trophy in sports with their communities. It also includes footage from the opening night banner raising ceremony.
It has an average vote of 5.2 on TMDB.
4. Long Gone Summer
An examination of the 1998 MLB season and the home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. The two sluggers' race to hit the most home runs, later overshadowed by the steroid scandal, left a permanent mark on baseball history.
It has an average vote of 5.8 on TMDB.
5. Chicago, Grande Roue (Chicago, Grande Roue)
A view of the Ferris wheel from the Chicago Exposition of 1893, turning slowly.
It has an average vote of 5.4 on TMDB.
6. Now or Never: A Tony Romo Story
"Now or Never" stars Tony Romo and follows Romo's life with his family, friends, teammates and coaches who tell the improbable story of how the undrafted free agent and underdog became captain of the Dallas Cowboys and "America's Team".
7. The Bo You Don't Know
That would be football coach Robert "Bo" Rein, whose pedigree could be traced to stints under Woody Hayes, Lou Holtz, and Frank Broyles. A former baseball and football standout at Ohio State, Rein was building a reputation as an innovator who inspired those around him. He became the youngest head coach in major college football when he took over at NC State at the age of 30.
8. The Book of Manning
Explores the personal and professional life of former NFL and Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning and how the sudden loss of his father impacted his life and the way he and his wife Olivia raised their three sons.
It has an average vote of 8.1 on TMDB.
9. Art Tour
"While in quarantine, Heyer has made extensive use of viral video platforms like TikTok and Instagram, exploring their potential as a vehicle for performance. Experimenting with cinematic genre, his minute-long comedy shorts offer a sort of rolling absurdist commentary on our present circumstances. That he has found inspiration in the limited resources available to him gives the work the sense of playful exuberance that is characteristic of Heyer's practice. In his “Art Tour” videos, Heyer confidently the viewer through his neighborhood as though he is on a museum walkthrough: a discarded fishtank becomes "a stunning Dan Graham," a shrouded window becomes "a challenging Wade Guyton.” Though playfully riffing on the jargon of the academy, the videos are also testaments to excitement art can bring to the challenges of our present." — Night Gallery, Frieze Viewing Room 2020
10. Art Tour (Night Edition)
“While in quarantine, Heyer has made extensive use of viral video platforms like TikTok and Instagram, exploring their potential as a vehicle for performance. Experimenting with cinematic genre, his minute-long comedy shorts offer a sort of rolling absurdist commentary on our present circumstances. That he has found inspiration in the limited resources available to him gives the work the sense of playful exuberance that is characteristic of Heyer’s practice. In his “Art Tour” videos, Heyer confidently the viewer through his neighborhood as though he is on a museum walkthrough: a discarded fishtank becomes “a stunning Dan Graham,” a shrouded window becomes “a challenging Wade Guyton.” Though playfully riffing on the jargon of the academy, the videos are also testaments to excitement art can bring to the challenges of our present.” — Night Gallery, Frieze Viewing Room 2020
11. Mooney vs. Fowle
The doc brings us back to a 1961 football game played in front of 40,000 people at the Orange Bowl. A high school football game, pitting Miami High against their rivals from Edison High. The title refers to the coaches of each, and the film follows them separately, with their real families and their clan of players, in the days leading up to the big event. And then at last it astonishingly chronicles the game from all kinds of angles you wouldn’t expect from even the newly mobile tools of the Drew crew. Today’s television coverage doesn’t come nearly as close to capturing the spirit of the sport and its fans the way Lipscomb does here.
12. Rebels of Oakland: The A's, The Raiders, The '70s
"As soon as you hear the title to this new one, you know exactly what it's about and why it's likely to be good, especially if you were a sports fan growing up in the 1970s. Even to good boys all the way across the country in New Hampshire, the authority-flouting baseball A's and football Raiders were magical. Not only did they win championships, they did it amid clubhouse brawls, feuds with an owner and a general embrace of the 1960s aesthetic. Filmmakers Rick Bernstein and Ross Greenburg tell the stories of these turbulent, talented teams and show how they perfectly fit their city. Oakland was blue collar and home to hardcore hard-core 1960s rebellion, exemplified by the Black Panthers. Oakland, especially, was not San Francisco, the effete, world-class city across the bay."
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
13. Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL
Celebrated author and Nation magazine sports editor Dave Zirin tackles the myth that the NFL was somehow free of politics before Colin Kaepernick and other Black NFL players took a knee.
14. NFL Super Bowl 50 Champions: Denver Broncos
Capping a season with more twists and turns than any Colorado slalom course, the Denver Broncos are once again Super Bowl champions! The incredible story of Peyton Manning, Gary Kubiak, pro football's best defense and the rest of the 2015 Broncos is now yours to own. From the season opening kickoff to the crowning glory of the Denver's 24-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50, NFL Film documents every big plan in the Broncos triumphant season with amazing game footage, exclusive sideline sounds and game wires and the pulse-pounding music that will make you want next season to start tomorrow. Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 Champions also features exciting profiles from NFL Network and the best shots and sounds of the entire 2015 season. It s a must have for any Broncos fan.
It has an average vote of 9.5 on TMDB.
15. What Poor Gods We Do Make: The Story and Music Behind Naked Raygun
What Poor Gods We Do Make: The Story and Music Behind Naked Raygun," the 2-disc DVD/CD focuses on the band's history and the development of their music from "Basement Screams" to "Raygun,Naked Raygun" through interviews with the band and many interviews, including Steve Albini, The Lawrence Arms, 88 Fingers Louie, Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers, The Effigies and many more. Moreover, the film aspect also focuses on the history and influence of Chicago's independent and punk scene, even though it was often, and still, overlooked by punk historians and more recently, documentary filmmakers. The CD portion of the release will feature live highlights from their shows since Naked Raygun's reunion at Riot Fest 2006, and will include all of the songs most identified with Naked Raygun.
16. The Hill Chris Climbed: The Gridiron Heroes Story
The compelling, heart-wrenching story of high school football star Chris Carnales, whose life changed when he became paralyzed after breaking his neck in a football game. Chris soon learned of others who suffered similar injuries and, with the help of his father, overcame tremendous pain to start an organization with one goal in mind: get immediate help to other victims and their families. He called it Gridiron Heroes.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
17. Seau
The tale of one of modern football’s great icons, Junior Seau, whose tragic end still reverberates through the sports world today.
It has an average vote of 10 on TMDB.
18. Hoop Dreams
Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.
It has an average vote of 7.629 on TMDB.
19. My Perfect World: The Aaron Hernandez Story
Dan Wetzel and Kevin Armstrong undertake an exhaustive journey into the mind and motives behind the murderous fall, and tragic suicide, of Aaron Hernandez, providing an unprecedented look into the most infamous athlete since O.J. Simpson.
20. Rivals: Ohio State vs. Michigan
Explores the history of "The Game," the annual football matchup between bitter rivals Ohio State and Michigan
